In Your Arms by Rebecca Goings Page B

chance to be together like this, then come back to bed and love me one last time.”
    Her green eyes shone with unshed tears as she whispered those words to him, and he knew he couldn’t resist her. This woman had the power to bring him to his knees, and she didn’t even know it.
    Advancing on her, he pushed her back on the bed and covered her body with his. She opened for him, receiving him with a gasp of pleasure. Hearing her moan underneath him made him even harder inside of her as he thrust forward slowly yet forcefully.
    Melissa wrapped her arms around him and kissed his lips with such passion that he almost fell over the edge right then and there. Her tongue tangled with his, feeling like hot silk in his mouth, and he groaned her name. Her fingers dug into his hair as she rocked wildly against him, crying out her release into his mouth. He followed her only moments later.
    Collapsing on top of her, Marcus rained kisses on her face and silently wondered how he’d ever get Melissa Bloom out of his heart.
    ~ * ~
    Melissa sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyelids drooped and her body groaned whenever she moved, but still she smiled. Making love to Marcus had indeed been strenuous, and she looked at her bed longingly. The sun peeked over the horizon just as she made her way quietly back into her room above the general store.
    Without bothering with her nightgown, she sank into the soft quilts and sighed once again with contentment. Shirley was still sound asleep, and Melissa knew it would be hours yet before she awoke. Rolling over to face the wall, her thoughts returned to Marcus McCaide.
    Just thinking about him made her body tingle, the memory of his mouth upon her skin still fresh, but a pang of sorrow suddenly shot through her heart. She’d hoped he would open up to her, that he would tell her what was haunting him, but he hadn’t. Did she think making love to him would change him? He was a hardened man who took what he could get, and he’d told her he would break her heart.
    Remembering that he’d told her they wouldn’t make love again, Melissa could feel hot tears sting her eyes. How could she see him day after day knowing exactly what loving him was like? She’d have to avoid him at any cost, but could she? Would she be able to pretend there was nothing between them?
    She would have to. There was nothing else to do. Marcus would never marry her, and he could never love her.
    That thought had her crying into her pillow long into the morning.
    ~ * ~
    When she finally emerged from her room, it was well past noon. Her feet felt like bricks as she descended the stairs with her hair pulled back in a long braid.
    “You feeling all right, Lissa?” her father asked as she made her way behind the counter.
    “I’ll be fine,” she answered with a small smile. She knew her eyes were still puffy from crying, but, fortunately, her father let it drop.
    The store’s back door swung open, and Marcus strode in kicking the dust off his boots on the doorframe. Just seeing him sent a shock of excitement through her, making her shiver. Biting her lip, she tried her best to look busy.
    “You got anything else for me to do, Mr. Bloom?” Marcus asked, barely giving Melissa a glance.
    “Yes, I do, son. Just got a new shipment of canned goods I’d like you to stock on the shelves. Right over here.”
    Swallowing hard, Melissa clutched the edge of the counter so hard her knuckles were white. She had no idea how she remained standing. Being in the same room with Marcus was electric, and her eyes darted to him of their own volition.
    Cursing herself, she wished she could flee, but she saw how slowly her father moved today and knew she couldn’t. His joints were hurting him, and he obviously needed her help around the shop, at least until Shirley came down the stairs for the day. Sitting on a stool, Melissa was so lost in thought that she didn’t hear the front door open and didn’t realize anyone had come in